MARCH NEWSLETTER 2018 - St. Mary Catholic...
Transcript of MARCH NEWSLETTER 2018 - St. Mary Catholic...
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MARCH NEWSLETTER 2018
St. Mary Catholic School
Challenging the Mind—Living the Faith
www.stmarycatholicschool.org
Dear Parents:
Happy March! We find ourselves in the midst of the season of Lent. Each year, we focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to grow in our relationship with God. Recently, I listened to a homily explaining the importance of not only giving up things that we like as sacrifices but also giving up things that distract us from truly fostering a personal relationship with God. As parents, we understand that we are the role models of our children. We set the example. Keeping that in mind, March 19 is St. Joseph’s feast day and I received a prayer from the Carmelite Nuns of Port Tobacco that may be prayed as a family. It is just a simple way of showing our children that praying together is a strength of a close family. St. Joseph, strengthen in our family every bond of love which unites us. St. Joseph, protect our family from every danger from without and from every threat to peace, unity, and harmony within. St. Joseph, teach us to be understanding and forgiving towards one another. St. Joseph, teach us to be kind and loving towards one another; help us to be understanding and forgiving towards one another. St. Joseph, may contentment with our lot and joy in each other abound in our house as we faithfully seek to serve and love God. St. Joseph, pray for us. Amen. As a school community, we will come together for Stations of the Cross each Friday at 2:00 P.M. Our students in grades three through eight will have the opportunity to participate in the sacrament of Reconciliation. Families are encouraged to participate in Operation Rice Bowl. We, as a school community, will work together to prepare our hearts for Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
As always, I ask for your prayers to the Holy Spirit to give me the guidance and wisdom to serve as principal of Saint Mary Catholic School.
May God bless you! Patricia A. McDermott
MISSION STATEMENT
Saint Mary Catholic School empowers children in their faith journey and promotes academic excellence and life-long service inspired by the Gospel of Jesus
Christ in a nurturing community.
UPCOMING EVENTS
March 2 First Friday Mass
March 9 Trimester II ends Noon Dismissal
March 12 School Closed
Teacher Retreat Day March 14
Class Pictures March 15
Individual Pictures March 19
Intermediate Spelling Bee March 26-28
Fifth Grade Outdoor School March 29
Noon Dismissal-begin Easter Break March 30-April 8
Easter Break April 9
School Resumes
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CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK
PANCAKE BREAKFAST
Our annual SMCS Pancake Breakfast is always a heartwarming event. The
volunteers, under the leadership of Kelly and Kelly Byrne, enjoy themselves
tremendously as they prepare pancakes and omelets for an endless stream of
hungry guests. About 286 people were served this year. Many thanks are
extended to our sponsors: IHop, Western SIzzlin, Sam’s Club, Martin’s, 28 South,
Weis Markets, Rescue 2 Training, the Romsburg family, the Tedeschi family, the
Staley family, the Johnson family, the Corsi family, the Webster family, the
Zanetti family, and the Shahid family.
SPEAKERS AT WEEKEND MASSES
SMCS appreciates the support of our area Pastors in helping us spread the news
about Catholic education. Our students were able to talk about St. Mary Catholic
School during the weekend Masses. These students did a great job representing
SMCS and encouraging others to consider Catholic education. Thank you to the
following students for speaking during the weekend Masses:
St. Ann Parish
Speakers: Noah Karn, Jillian Sommerville, and Erica Weaver
St. James Parish
Speaker: Shannon Quinones
St. Joseph Parish
Speakers: Logan Flanagan and Annabella Kenny
St. Mary Parish
Speakers: Collin Ambush, Ty Ambush, Abigail Cushwa, Sabrina Harman, and
Dominic McCormick
St. Michael Parish
Speaker: Susan Concordia
PARISH NEWS
SACRAMENTAL NEWS
Eighth graders who are members of St. Mary Parish will continue with their Confirmation Immediate Preparation classes on Tuesdays, through March 6, from 6:30 to 8:30 P.M. Sign-in is at 6:15 and classes start promptly at 6:30. Confirmation is scheduled for Thursday, May 24.
LIGHT OF CHRIST MEDAL
Father Cibelli presented the Light of Christ Medal to Peyton Gullickson during our Catholic School Week Mass. As a scout, Peyton worked with his parents to complete an activity book. The purpose of the program is to help the scout develop a personal relationship with Jesus. Peyton worked for three months to complete the book and review it with his Pastor, Msgr. Jaskot.
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SMGHS HOT CHOCOLATE & COOKIES
SMCS students enjoyed a special treat from St.
Maria Goretti High School students. It was
especially nice, since the SMGHS students were
SMCS alumni. A great way for SMCS & SMGHS
to celebrate Catholic Schools Week together.
CAREER DAY SPEAKERS
Students from Pre-K to eighth grade learned about a variety of possible career
paths and gained a better understanding of how their current studies relate to
real-life opportunities. SMCS appreciates the creativity in which the speakers
shared their careers with our students.
Jonathan McGreevy: Construction Foreman Mike Tedeschi: Self-employed Inventor Todd Hochstrasser: Program Manager/Cancer Research Jack Latimer: Business Owner/Historic Preservation Gary Castle: Tractor Supply Operations Manager Derrick Kinna: Digging & Rigging Crane Operator James Stidham: Military Communications Shylo Martinez: Theatrics & Dance (Shenandoah University) Gary Holmes: Educational Administration Rick Stumpf: Electrician Peter Pentony: Attorney Leslie Kocevar: Mary Kay Sales Director Sgt. Bradley Lowe: Natural Resources Police
DIGNITARIES LUNCHEON
SMCS invited many local dignitaries who support Catholic education at SMCS to have lunch with the students. Fr. Ernest Cibelli (St. Mary Church Pastor), Rev. Lawrence Adamczyk (St. Mary Church), Fr. George Limmer (St. Mary Church Pastor Emeritus), Msgr. Bruce Jarboe (St. Ann Church Pastor), Mr. James Sellinger (AOB Chancellor of Education), Dr. Camille Brown (AOB Associate Superintendent), Mrs. Donna Bridickas (AOB Associate Superintendent), Ms. Lauren Robinson (AOB Marketing Director), Mr. Christopher Cosentino (SMGHS President), Mrs. Bridget Bartholomew (SMGHS Principal), Mrs. Holly Katrina (SMGHS Admissions Director), Mrs. Jennifer Carbaugh (SMGHS Advancement Director), Mrs. JoAnn Hevey (SMGHS Finance Director), Mrs. Rhonda O’Malley (SMCS School Board/St. Mary Parish Council President), Mr. Frankie Corsi (St. Mary Church Lay Corporator), Mr. Steve Hummel (St. Mary Finance Chair), Captain Paul Kifer (HPD), Fire Chief Steve Lohr (Hagerstown), Sheriff Douglas
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Mullendore (Washington County), Ms. Julia Albiwicz (Senator Van Hollen’s office); Mr. Paul Corderman (MD State Delegate), Mr. Robin Summerfield (Senator Cardin’s office), Mrs. Michelle Shaper (SCRIP Chair/St. Mary Finance Committee), Mr. Michael Morrell (St. Mary Church Business Manager—Retired), Ms. Lois MacCumbee (SMCS Teacher—Retired), Mrs. Wanda Gertsner (SMCS Teacher—Retired), Mrs. Marie Rumbarger (SMCS Teacher—Retired), Mrs. Ann Marshall (SMCS Teacher—Retired), Mrs. Pam Miller (SMCS Teacher—Retired), Mr. Louis Concordia (SMCS Basketball Coach), and Mrs. Marilyn Hembrock (American Legion).
BOOK FAIR
Who doesn’t enjoy a good book? Our students certainly enjoyed the vast
selection of books available at our 2018 Scholastic Book Fair. The long lines for
purchases on Grandparent’s Day and all the smiles on our students’ faces made
for a banner day for sales. We truly appreciate the time and efforts of Mrs.
Jenny Beck in coordinating this event.
VOLUNTEER RECEPTION & PARENT VISITATION
An appreciation reception for volunteers was hosted by the teachers on Tuesday,
January 30. The faculty and staff value the important role our parent and
grandparent volunteers play in the success of SMCS. Thank you, Mrs. Stumpf, for
coordinating this event. Also, many thanks are extended to the kindergarten, first
grade, fourth grade Spanish class, and seventh grade students for providing the
entertainment.
The St. Mary
faculty and staff
would like to
thank the parents
who took time
out of their busy
schedules to visit
the classrooms
and share lunch
in the cafeteria.
MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
We are c losing in on the end of our second tr imester of the school year. There are so many activities and events that are only made possible through our wonderful volunteers.As
of February 26 , 4,121.09 hours have
been logged. We appreciate all the t ime and effort all of you are giving to support the mission of our school. Thank you!
Our Top Volunteers per Hours Logged are:
Bella Barron
Cassandra Kinna
April Nitzell
Crystal Stother
Jenny & Kevin Beck
Candice Romsburg
Stacey Stine
James & Stacey Renken
Leslie Kocevar
Remember to log into HelpCounter to track your hours. Trimester II started on December 1 and ends on March 9. Questions can be emailed to [email protected].
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GRANDPARENT’S DAY
Grandparent’s Day is truly one of the highlights of Catholic Schools Week. It is an opportunity for grandparents to visit their grandchildren’s classrooms and then be treated to a delicious lunch! It is also the day our students enjoy their student appreciation luncheon. Hopefully, our students and their grandparents feel how much they are loved! Many thanks are extended to Leslie Kocevar for coordinating this cherished event.
TALENT SHOW
Each year we are
blessed to have our
students share a
variety of their
talents with the
student body in the
Talent Show. Our
star performers for
2018 included:
Francesco Capobianco-Electric Guitar Ella Britton-Piano Francesco Capobianco & Ella Britton-Magic Act Brynn Lietuvnikas, Annabella Kenny, & Mackenzie O’Berry-(BAM) Singing Rayan Shahid-Piano Madelyn Renken-Ballet Abigayl Swett-Irish Dancing Neekie Rahimian-Piano Ethan Knipple-Singing Fifth Grade-Song & dance Nicholas Smallwood-Singing Sabrina Harman-Modern Dance Lauren Stine-Piano Gabbie McCafferty, Ashley Kenny, Abby Cushwa, Susan Concordia-Singing Eighth Grade-Dance Faculty & Staff-Singing
Many thanks are extended to Matthew Stine, Logan Flanagan, Phillip Aguila,
Brianna Ellis, and Noah Karn for attending the rehearsals and assisting with the
production. Of course, Mrs. Forsythe should be commended for all her efforts in
bringing us such a special show each year.
EIGHTH GRADE RECOGNITION
Eighth grade is such a special year for our students at SMCS. During the talent
show, the St. Mary Catholic School Graduating Class of 2018 was recognized.
FEBRUARY GOOD SAMS
I want to congratulate our Good S.A.M.s for February:
Kindergarten – Matthew Finn
First – Charlie Haren
Second – Kayden Castle
Third – Ava Stumpf
Fourth –Francesco Capobianco
Fifth –Lauren Stine
Sixth – Kaitlyn Hochstrasser
Seventh – Isabella Muto
Eighth –Logan Flanagan
Thanks for your Service, Attitude, and Manners!
PHASE II RAFFLE TICKET WINNERS
Thank you is extended to Mrs. Jackie Swarner for coordinating this fundraiser and to Sister Aloysius for faithfully picking the winning ticket each week.
Congratulations to the following January winners:
($50) Week 1: Jackie Carney
($50) Week 2: The O’Connors
($50) Week 3: Tina Kumar
($100) Week 4: Paula Miller
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Thanks to the HSA, our eighth graders received their CLASS T-Shirts on this day.
Eighth graders will be wearing their special T-Shirts on Wednesdays as recognition
of their years of hard work as St. Mary Catholic School students. The Class of
2018 includes Ty Ambush, Da’Monique Brown, Louis Concordia, Susan Concordia,
Abigail Cushwa, Daniel Duncan, Logan Flanagan, Lleyton Foster, Lydia Giannaris,
Noah Hall, Zoe Hochstrasser, Ashley Kenny, Saif Khan, Maxwell Larkin, Gabrielle
McCafferty, Finn Mc Greevy, Krystal Nogales, Shannon Quinones, Anna Rohan,
Rachel Rohan, Laurel Rothstein, Rayan Shahid, Ashton Shanholtz, Joseph Shultz,
Matthew Stine, Georgiana Tedeschi, Hannah Webster, and Zachary Zanetti.
TEACHER APPRECIATION LUNCHEON
The faculty and staff truly appreciates the efforts of our H.S.A. Executive Board in
helping throughout the week with all the Catholic Schools Week events. A special
thank you is extended to Bella Barron, April Nitzell, and Crystal Strother for the
lovely luncheon provided to the staff at the end of the week.
TEACHER OF THE YEAR
During Catholic Schools Week, each school in the Archdiocese of Baltimore recognized a Teacher of the Year. The teacher selected has excellent instructional abilities, is dedicated to professional growth, and is committed to the mission of the school. Ms. Mary Poffenberger was selected as the Teacher of the Year for SMCS. Ms. Poffenberger is a graduate of SMCS and is in her 31st year of teaching in the Archdiocese of Baltimore,
teaching 2 years at St. John’s in Frederick and 28 years in a classroom at St. Mary. As a Maryland educator, she holds an Advanced Professional Certificate and is certified in Elementary Education 1-6 and Middle School. Ms. Poffenberger creates a learning environment where students are actively involved in their learning and effectively incorporates 21st Century Learning Skills that prepare students to meet future challenges. She accepts special assignments that help make SMCS a special school, such as analyzing student test data, creating the annual SMCS Memory Book, serving as a Title I Intervention Teacher in our after- school tutoring program, and she also was a Writer on the AOB ELA Curriculum committee. Ms. Poffenberger also serves as witness to the Catholic faith in her parish as a member of the St. Ann’s contemporary choir, by participating in Parish outreach, and in planning and assisting the First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion preparation retreats. We appreciate her dedication to St. Mary Catholic School.
NATIONAL JUNIOR
HONOR SOCIETY
Executive Board members are: Daniel Duncan – President Noah Hall – Vice-President Maxwell Larkin – Secretary Rayan Shahid – Treasurer Zachary Zanetti – Parliamentarian
Invitations to apply to the SMCS George A. Limmer Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society will be extended in mid-March to current sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.7 or above for their middle school semesters. Once T2 report cards have been distributed, student G.P.A. records are reviewed to determine eligibility status. All eligible students will be notified personally; students do not need to ask for application packets. Once application packets have been passed out to eligible students, they will have approximately three weeks to complete and return their applications to Mrs. Gross if they plan to apply. The faculty council will extend membership to the NJHS based on each applicant’s scholarship, leadership, citizenship, character, and service. The induction ceremony will be held on Wednesday, April 25, at 6:30 P.M. Current officers will assist in the induction ceremony.
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FAITH
LENTEN REMINDER
Meat will not be served on any Friday during Lent.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Students in grades three through eight attend Stations of the Cross on Fridays
during Lent at 2:00 P.M. Thank you, Father Cibelli and Father Larry, for giving our
students the opportunity to attend Stations of the Cross during school.
TRIMESTER NEWS
ACADEMICS
The second trimester of the 2017-2018 school year ends on Friday, March 9.
Progress Reports will be distributed on March 15. Parent Access will be closed
until March 8 through March 13 per AOB policy.
A GENTLE REMINDER
The Trimester II progress reports are scheduled to be distributed on March 15.
Please make sure that all your financial obligations (tuition through February,
Phase II fundraiser, after-school care through January, fees, cafeteria expenses,
etc.) are paid in full. Otherwise, progress reports will be held until all financial
obligations are met. Please refer to pages 50-51 of the handbook. Notifications
will be sent home during the week of March 5 if you are still in arrears with
anything at that time.
SMCS VOLUNTEER COMMITMENT
The SMCS faculty and staff want to thank all our parents and grandparents who
have been contributing their time through volunteering. The extra help is really
making a difference at HSA events and during our school days. We appreciate all
your support! Please remember to log your hours in HELPCOUNTER
(http://helpcounter.org/main/index.php). A minimum of twenty hours should be
logged in by midnight on March 8. Invoices for unfulfilled hours will be sent in
March.
HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
HSA EXECUTIVE BOARD
President: Mrs. Bella Barron Vice President: Mr. Jack Dill
Corresponding Secretary: Mr. Jay Zuspan Recording Secretary: Ms. Aggie Cantave
VIRTUS
The Archdiocese of Baltimore and Saint Mary Catholic School are committed to providing a safe environment for children. Our procedures for volunteering in schools require that a volunteer who will have substantial contact with children must complete screening and training procedures that are outlined on the www.archbalt.org website. The current and effective version of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Child and Youth Protection Policies and Procedures, including the Statement of Policy for the Protection of Children &Youth and the Code of Conduct for Church Personnel of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, which incorporates any revisions to the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Child and Youth Protection Policies and Procedures that may be made from time to time, is available on the Child and Youth Protection page of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s website and on the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s online compliance management system, VIRTUS. Please register as a St. Mary Catholic School Volunteer at http://www.virtusonline.org/. All new volunteers should complete the process as soon as possible. Please contact Jan McCarter, our screening coordinator, at [email protected], or (301)739-0390, ext. 129, with any questions or concerns. Virtus training IS NOT complete until all parts of the process are fulfilled including the background check. Just completing the online training itself DOES NOT fulfill the requirements for volunteering.
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Bookkeeper: Mrs. Crystal Strother Treasurer: Mrs. April Nitzell
FAMILY BINGO
Family BINGO was truly a special event! Over forty
families attended for a night of BINGO fun and
SMCS fellowship! Father Cibelli and Craig O’Connor
kept the evening moving with their talent of calling
the numbers. Bella Barron, April Nitzell, and Rachel
O’Connor organized the event with the help of
Aggie Cantave, Cassie Kinna, Colleen Augustine,
Kelly Byrne, and Karen and Norm Scott.
SCRIP
Last year St. Mary families saved over $12,000 in tuition by
participating in the SCRIP Program. SCRIP dates this month
are March 5, 19, and 26.
HEALTHY SNACK SALE
Mrs. Lowe is organizing a healthy snack sale for Wednesday,
March 21. All proceeds will benefit our physical education
program.
MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCIAL
The next Middle School Social is from 3:00 to 4:30 on April 13.
HERSHEY PARK FUNDRAISER
Are you planning an outing to Hershey Park this year? This
fundraiser is an opportunity for you to purchase tickets at a
reduced rate and support the SMCS HSA. Tickets purchased are
valid April 29-September 25, 2018. A flyer went home last month.
STUDENT COUNCIL NEWS
STUDENT COUNCIL OFFICERS
President: Matthew Stine Vice President: Spencer Pentony
Secretary: Finn McGreevy Treasurer: Logan Flanagan
REGISTRATION FOR NEW STUDENTS
Registration for new students is now open. If you know of any families who might be interested in learning more about St. Mary Catholic School, please encourage them to call and set up an appointment “to check us out.” Prospective students are encouraged to spend a day shadowing. Families can inquire online at www.stmarycatholicschool.org.
OPEN HOUSE—SUNDAY, APRIL 22
SMCS is having an Open House on Sunday, April 22, from 2:00 to 5:00 P.M. Please invite anyone you know who has an interest in learning more about our 2017 National Blue Ribbon School.
SPRING FORWARD—DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME
Daylight Savings Time (United States) begins Sunday, March 11, 2017, at 2:00 A.M. Remember to set your clocks ahead one hour.
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MARCH TAG DAY
An out-of-uniform day will be held on, March 16, with all proceeds to benefit
Children’s Village. The theme of the day is green for St. Patrick’s Day!
MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE
The last dance of the year will be held on Friday, April 20. Theme and attire guidelines are forthcoming
OTHER NEWSWORTHY ITEMS
HAGERSTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
SMCS is excited to continue its partnership with Hagerstown Community College
(HCC) in enhancing our students’ learning in the areas of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics. HCC has arranged a special day just for SMCS
middle school students. Sixth, seventh, and eighth graders are to spend the day
at Hagerstown Community College (HCC) on March 6. Students are not to report
to school, but instead, parents are to drop their middle school students at the
Kepler Building between 8:45 and 9:00 A.M. and pick their children up at 1:30
P.M. at the Kepler Building. Students are to bring a bag lunch and drink. This
special day helps enhance our science, technology, and mathematics programs.
SMCS NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
For the fourth year in a row, the art work of SMCS students will be showcased at
the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts. Mrs. Renken and her students
have created beautiful pieces of art that will be on display during a special
reception on March 6, from 5:30 to 7:30 P.M. Be prepared to be amazed at the
artistic talent of our students!
RACE 4 TECHNOLOGY
Our second annual Race 4 Technology is scheduled for May 10. All monies raised
will be used to support our technology initiatives at SMCS. More information is
forthcoming. Be on the lookout for the upcoming t-shirt art design contest.
SPRING PICTURES
Lifetouch will be at SMCS on Wednesday, March 14, for class pictures, so
students are to wear their regular school uniforms. A special picture of the entire
student body will be taken also. On Thursday, March 16, Lifetouch will take
individual pictures; students may come out of uniform following the guidelines in
the Handbook.
POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS
SMCS students have been earning keys throughout the month of February. We are truly blessed to have students who care about each other, who strive to excel in their academics, and who greet each school day with a smile.
As of February 26, the Key Count for students by grade level is as follows:
Pre-Kindergarten: 68 keys
Kindergarten: 175 keys
First Grade: 272 keys
Second Grade: 107 keys
Third Grade: 180 keys
Fourth Grade: 41 keys
Fifth Grade: 179 keys
Sixth Grade: 135 keys
Seventh Grade: 68 keys
Eighth Grade: 129 keys
A total of 1,354 has been earned by SMCS students!
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INTERMEDIATE SPELLING BEE
On March 19 at 8:30 A.M., students from the third, fourth, and fifth grades will participate in the St. Mary Catholic School Intermediate Spelling Bee. Students in these grades took a written test to compete for a spot in the Bee. Congratulations to the following students who are our spelling bee contestants: Third Grade Eric Cabezas, Riley Horn, Bella Maciulla, Kaitlyn O’Berry, Louisa Poffenberger, Hailie Pryor, Madeline Stonebraker, and Lucy Zuspan Fourth Grade Francesco Copobianco, Sabrina Harman, Roman Harchick, Olivia Kocevar, Johan Michael, Josephine Muto, Willa Pentony, and Nicholas Smallwood Fifth Grade Brooks Carpenter, Owen Liu, Leah McCafferty, Neekie Rahimian, Madelynn Renken, Raniya Shahid, Lauren Stine, and Sebastian Wilkinson
SMCS MEMORY BOOKS
Ms. Mary Poffenberger has been capturing special moments with her camera in order to document the 2017-2018 school year in the SMCS Memory Book. Online ordering is available through March 2.
1. Visit www.online-pay.memorybook.com/parent;
2. Enter your pay code 86153 and click next; and 3. Buy a yearbook for $20.00.
STUDENT COUNCIL NEWS
PERPETUAL ADORATION CHAPEL
NEW ADORERS are needed for the Perpetual Adoration Chapel located at St. Maria Goretti High School. "The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament...will help bring about an everlasting peace on earth.” (Mother Teresa of Calcutta) Call Mr. or Mrs. Ott for more information at 301-739-4167.
HEALTH NEWS
If you have any health-related questions, please contact Ms. Paula Radley at (301)733-1184, ext. 104, or by email, [email protected]. Please keep the school informed of any updates to your child’s immunization record.
IN YOUR PRAYERS
Please continue to pray for people in the world who need our prayers.